IN HER DYING EYES-the black embrace

The sensation of bloat was no mirage. When she awoke today, she would be aware of a rather heavy weight in her middle. The rain flooded down from the sky, chilly and stingy, though the weather said high seventies today.
<o:p> </o:p>
Her belly was swollen ever so slightly. Nobody but her would notice. But something was Definitely wrong now. A ravenous hunger was taking root within her, and she would begin to feel extremely warm. The sound of a vehicle screechign its tires woudl awaken her.
 
When Anastasia awakened she knew something was wrong.

She ran her fingers across her belly.. she felt bigger than usual

She would ask her roomate, but she was gone

Off to school..

She sat up wandering if there was a crash outside.. she felt paranoid for some reason

When she tried to call her mom there was no answer.

She decided to just lock the door.. and heat up food hr grandmother prepared for her

Because unlike most days, she was unusually hungry...

After eating she hoped the feeling might subside..
 
Once the food was gone, the feeling had only subsided enough to be annoying. every bite demanded more. her roomate bustled in, talkgin on her cellphone and hung up. " Christ what a day already...didja hear? Someone ran over that huge crow at the park. but when they went to see how it was, there was nothgin but feathers and blood, no body...anyways, gotta go, daniel and me are skipping first hour to get stoned." she giggled. the blonde girl never said much,a nd always as she was leaving.
 
Anastasia rolled her eyes as the girk left..

It only made sense.. the girl wasn't very smart

She got out of bed slowly.. still hungry but why? Was this sickness?

She put on a rain coat and decided she wanted to see for herself

It made no sense that the bird was just gone..
She walked out the door making her way slowly

To the park, holding her stomach.. she still felt queasy
 
A hot dog vendor labeled " jet red's dogs' was on the sidewalk beneath a tree at the intersection where the accident had happened. Anastasia would hear two people talking. There where a few police there. The black van fromt eh other day had swerved into oncoming traffic ( a bus) while swerving. steam was coming from its radiator. An ambulance with two men on it in bad shape was loading.

"Free hotdog for the pretty lady?" asked the old man with the hotdog cart. he was an elderly mann. probably Jet himself. There were black feathers blowing in the slight wind all over the place adn a rather large splat of blood in teh intersection.
 
Normally she hated hotdogs but because she was hungry, she took it greatfully

"Thanks.." she said as she continued her walk..

She examined the feathers and blood..

If they wanted the bird, then they probbly took it dead or alive

she took a small bite of her hot dog

"I wonder where my strange friend is.."
 
The people around the place all said they didn't notice were the bird went.. or how the people in the van got so banged up from a small collision that didn't even dent teh pole they hit.

A glint of dark feathers hti her eye, leading her glance deep intot eh park. there was s shadow underneatht eh willow tree by the pond... was that, the man from before... no... there feathers.... or perhaps it was the other way around.
 
"You..." she said squinting her eyes towards the man


She began to pace forwards towards him... this was all too weird

"Did you see what happened to the bird???" She said eyeing him suspiciously..

Even through her exhaution and hunger

Something was wrong with the picture
 
The man was leaning against the tree, battered and bruised, a freshly agitated black eye and bloody nose adorning his handsome face. He looked dead, but she could see him breathing in the Chilly morning air.
<o:p> </o:p>
He looked as though he had been there all night, Frost accumulated on his Leather duster and flowing brown hair, as well as in his mustache and goatee. He was drenched from head to toe- he did NOT look healthy. On closer inspection, blood was trickling from a few places on his clothes.
<o:p> </o:p>
His eyes flickered open painfully and he smiled a little. “ Anastasia…that is your name right…and how are you doing this lovely day?” his voice was raspy and delirious.
 
Anastasia put her hand to her mouth leaning down to the man in front of him

"Oh my gosh.... Are you..?"

She didnt want to ask if he was okay because she could tell he wasnt though his nonchalantness

would make one think otherwise

She shook her head taking out some tissue from her purse, wiping the blood from his nose gently

"Come... I will take you to the hospital" She said worriedly

"You look like death."
 
"I AM dead, love..." He chuckled, spitting out a black feather. "If you don't mind... Could you take me to your place... I need rest, not cops and questions." he smirked in response. " Now if you don't mind.. i just got hit by a van... " he wheezed, spitting out a tooth.
 
Anastasia blinked twice

She really shouldnt bring random guys t her house, thats what her better judgement said.

However he was banged up and speaking unclearly.. he thought he was dead so why not help him.

"You talking madly" She said helping him up and taking him to her dorm, which was not far from the crash site.

When they got there, she rested him on her bed and began preparing tea

"So... the bird got hit and you got hit.. at the same time? are you sure you dont want to

go to the hospital?" She asked again turning back to him.

She felt uneasy since she didnt know him, but not threatened because

he was already in a state of being hurt, so not much he could

do to her even if he wanted to.
 
He growled a little and spit out another tooth.a large ... fang? wow. "Listen, girl, i AM the fucking bird!" he growled at her, showign one very long fang, and one missing altogether. " I got hit by the damn van, I beat those C.I.A. PRICKS into a pulp, and then i came here, You gonna help, take me somewhere private, or just leave.me.here!" his eyes looked just like the ravens... how could he be lying? but that was impossible...there was somethgin wild in his visage.. but the eyes.. he was desperate.
 
Anastasia looked at the fang he had just spit out and everything turned to shock

She stood there almost frozen as she put it all together in her mind.



"Well you dont have to fucking yell!" She retorted.

"So you were liying to me this whole time.. YOU WERE THE DAMN BIRD!"
 
"Yes i was lying, what did you think i woudl just come out and say, HI!, my mother was a priestess and my father was a vampire, I can turn into a huge raven, suck blood, and summon spirits...yeah THAT woudl go over good on a first date... or maybe a job interview... you know what, its STILL a long story... please.. I'm weak in sunlight when im wounded...don't looka t me like that, transylvania girl, didn't your mother tell you enough stories about the old world!" He coughed.
 
"Yea but.. I never listen.. I didnt believe.."

She still could hardly believe it

She finally just toook the initiative and helped him up



******

It only took 5 minutes to help him to her room.

She locked the door and helped him on the bed

"How do I know your not gonna kill me or.. suck my blood?"

She said, closing the blinds so the sunlight wouldnt bother him
 
"Trust me... your not my type... literally." he smiled a little and grabbed hsi left wrist with his right hand, there was a sickenign crunch and a sigh of relief. " nnngh... broken wrists always need help healing." he complained. the hunger was deepening now. strange, intense,and burning, like her temperature.

"I did mention i was only HALF vampire.. right?" he said, clarifying the point. "nnn you like domino's pizza?" he asked, pulling out his wallet.
 
(LOL I love him)




She looked at him with interest and her cheeks flushed in anger

"Well, your not my type either!" She retorted, sitting down on the chair away from him..

"And if you want to order pizza thats fine. Im a vegetarian though and Im sure as an um "half vampire" you will want

meat on your pizza"
 
"Veggie delight it is." he laughed, pullign out his cellphone and ardering a variable buffet. " some for now,s ome for later." he said. he set about resetting his bones in the meantime. he paid for the pizza's in cash and sat them on her bed.

Somethign inside her made her drool at the smell of the warm pizza's. he opened up the first box and tooka big slice of pepperoni mushroom.

 
Anastasia glanced at the pizza... it did look good,

but she had to eat the cheese pizza

she had vowed not to eat meat.

She took a small slice and smiled "Thanks...so you mind telling me why


ever since I met you Ive been feeling abnormally hungry and dizzy?"

She knew it had to have something to do with him

She had never ate so much. Or felt so sick and bloated in her life.